From the Beginning - Vital Records Then and Now

By Kim Amrhien

  • Madison creates the first Board of Health in Indiana in response to the cholera epidemic.

  • First official collection of Vital Statistics in the State.

    The Madison Board of Health meets daily at 1 pm to receive the reports of physicians regarding the spread of cholera, thus becoming the first official collection of Vital Statistics in the State.

  • State Medical Association Started the Push for a state wide health system - "Resolved, that a committee of five be appointed to memorialize the legislature asking them to provide by law for registration of births, marriages, and deaths."

    The present Indiana State Medical Society was organized at a medical convention in Indianapolis in June 1849. At this first convention of doctors of the state, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
  • Period: to

    Organization and Relationships of State and Locals

  • Legislation Attempted

    The State Medical Society made an effort to secure a public health and vital statistics law for Indiana but legislature was too busy with the problems of the state banking system.

  • Legislation Attempted, Again

    A committee appointed by the State Medical Society drafted a bill for the establishment of a State Board of Health, but failed to pass

  • Legislation Attempted, Again Again

    Another bill was introduced and again failed to become law.

  • They'll Do it Themselves The State medical Society undertook voluntarily the collection of vital statistics throughout the State.

  • State Health Commission Formed - A state Health Commission was formed with local or district commissions throughout the state to collect vital and sanitary statistics and report them to the state commission.

  • Legislation Attempted, Again Again Again, SUCCESS!

    State Board of Health is Created
    16 Feb 1881 The State Board of Health is created
    a. 5 Members
    b. Four members appointed by Board of Appointment consisting of the Governor, Secretary of State and Auditor of State.
    c. 2 Members whose term expires 03/01/1893
    d. 2 Members whose term expires 03/01/1895
  • The Secretary of the State Board of Health: Must be a Physician, is the Health Officer of the State, and is the superintendent of all vital and sanitary statistics

    The Secretary of the State Board of Health: Must be a Physician, is the Health Officer of the State, and is the superintendent of all vital and sanitary statistics

  • The ISBH shall have supervision of the system of registration of births, deaths, and marriages.

  • Each county, city, and town will have a board of health which will have a secretary who shall be the executive officer of the board and shall serve as health officer for one year.

    City, Town, and County Health Boards created, by Mayor and Common council, Town Trustees, and Board of County Commissioners respectively. Each will have a secretary who shall be the executive officer of the board and shall serve as health officer for one year.

  • The Board of Health of each county shall be subordianate to the State Board.

  • City and town boards are subordinate to the County Board

  • The ISBH shall make up such forms from time to time as they may deem necessary for the thorough registration and report of vital and sanitary statistics throughout the state.

  • The amount not to exceed $5000 per year to pay the salary of the secretary and other necessary expenses of the state board of health.

    The amount not to exceed $5000 per year to pay the salary of the secretary and other necessary expenses of the state board of health.

    The amount not to exceed $5000 per year to pay the salary of the secretary and other necessary expenses of the state board of health.

  • The clerical duties and safe keeping of the Bureau of Vital and Sanitary Statistics shall be provided for by the Secretary of State

    The clerical duties and safe keeping of the Bureau of Vital and Sanitary Statistics shall be provided for by the Secretary of State

  • All physicians and accouchers in this state must report to the secretary of the board of health in town city or county in which they occur

  • If no physician or accoucher in attendance, then such births or deaths shall be reported by the householder where or under whose observations such birth or death may occur, with the cause of death, if such be known.

  • Coroner shall report deaths under his supervision or jurisdiction to City, Town, or County Health Board

  • Clerks of the Circuit Court must report marriages to the secretary of the county board of health

    It shall be the duty of the clerk of the circuit court, of each county to report to the secretary of the county board of health on or before the fifth day of each month, the number of marriages for the preceding month with such facts relating thereto as may provided for by a blank furnished to such clerk by the secretary of the county board of health

  • Expenses

    The amount not to exceed $5000 per year to pay the salary of the secretary and other necessary expenses of the state board of health.

  • It Shall Be the Duty of the State Board of Health to:

    Collect and tabulate the vital statistics and study them to make intelligent and profitable use of the same.
    Supervise the system of registration of deaths, births, and contagious diseases
    Make such blank forms as they may deem necessary for the collection, registration, and report of vital statistics throughout the state.
    Pass rules governing the duties of all health boards and all health officer, governing the hygienic disposal, transportation and disinterment of the dead.

  • Infectious and Contagious diseases must now be reported in additions to Births and deaths:

  • Coroner shall report deaths under his supervision or jurisdiction to NEAREST Health Board within 3 days after the inquest is held.

  • ISBH Power

    State Board has the power to discharge any county health commissioner or health officer in the state either for intemperance, failure to collect vital statistics, obey rules, keep records, make reports, answer letters of inquiry of said board concerning the health of the people, or neglect of official duty.

  • The question: Were precautions taken against ophthalmia neonatorum? Was added to the birth certificate.

  • Any two or more counties may combine with each other in the establishment of a full time health district.

    Any two or more counties may combine with each other in the establishment of a full time health district.

  • Commission on Public Records Established

  • Freedom

    No mention of LHD's being subordinate to State

  • Rules

    The State Board of Health shall adopt and may amend appropriate rules and regulations concerning the reporting of Births, deaths, and stillbirths.

  • State Offices

    The State Board of Health shall maintain a bureau of vital statistics with suitable offices properly equipped for the preservation of its official records

  • The State Board of Health shall:

    Make and amend necessary rules and regulations, give instructions and prescribe forms for collecting, transcribing, compiling, and preserving vital statistics

  • Titles

    Title of State Registrar is created and replaces Secretary
    Secretaries
  • Births and deaths shall be recorded where the event actually occurred, the place of death in the upper left corner of the standard certificate and the place of actual residence shown in upper right corner.

    Births and deaths shall be recorded where the event actually occurred, the place of death in the upper left corner of the standard certificate and the place of actual residence shown in upper right corner.

  • All certificates shall be carefully checked for accuracy and SIGNED by the health officer in lower left corner and add the date filed with him.

    All certificates shall be carefully checked for accuracy and SIGNED by the health officer in lower left corner and add the date filed with him.

    Apparently stamped signatures were acceptable

  • The ISBH Shall Provide

    The ISBH shall provide a system of vital statistics for the state to be administered by a division of the SBH

  • Local

    Each local health jurisdiction is a registration district

  • ISBH Shall

    The state board shall prescribe the information to be contained in each kind of application, certificate, report, or permit required by this article.

  • ISBH Shall:

    The SBH shall make and amend the necessary rules and regulations for collecting, transcribing, compiling, and preserving vital statistics

  • LHO

    Local Health Officer shall be the local registrar

  • More Rules

    The ISBH shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 for:
    1. Collecting, transcribing, compiling, and preserving vital statistics
    2. The form, execution, filing, and recording of paternity affidavits executed under IC 31-6-6.1-9

  • ISBH changes to ISDH

  • The State Registrar Shall:

    The state registrar shall
    1. The State Registrar shall keep (was: have charge of) the files and records pertaining to vital statistics
    2. Perform the duties prescribed by the state department.
    3. Perform the duties required under 10-1-7-8

  • The State Registrar Shall:

    The state registrar shall
    1. The State Registrar shall keep the files and records pertaining to vital statistics Perform the duties prescribed by the state department.
    2. Perform the duties prescribed by the state department.
    3. Perform the duties required under 10-1-7-8
    4. Administer the putative father registry established by IC 31-6-6.1-10.5
    5. Maintain records of paternity determination as provided by IC 31-6-6.1-10.5

  • Beginning 01/01/2011 all births and deaths must be filed in the Indiana Birth registration system (IBRS) and Indiana Death registration system (IDRS)

  • Language added that allows the physician last in attendance to initiate the electronic death record in IDRS

  • Adds that deaths occurring after December 31, 2010 must be entered in IDRS allowing previous paper certificates etc. to be filed on paper so that there would not be a mixture of paper and electronic records for any year.

  • Time for filing a birth changed to 1 year instead of 4 years